Like is a Start
by le stylo
Summary: A certain someone's missing and Laharl's bent on finding her. (PG13 to be safe)


"Like is a Start"   
  
Disclaimers: I don't own Disgaea. Atlus does.   
  


_Tick. Tick Tick.  
  
_ Laharl, the son of the former king, Kirchevskoy sat on the throne, his hands on his forehead. His fingers ran across his temples in short, swift strokes. His lips were thinned and curved downward. A certain someone had been missing since the new day began, and it angered him to a high extent. Not only was he feeling angry, anxiety swarmed around him like flies and stuck like hungry mosquitoes. Of course, he wouldn't admit being worried. He'd just say he was angry, some of his vassals would try to say otherwise, but were cut off due to his temper, other smarter vassals would purse their lips and talk among themselves, far away from the hot tempered, blue haired demon's earshot.  
  
"What are you doing!? Get outta here and keep SEARCHING!!"   
  
In anger, his fingers clamped onto the throne's arms, his fingernails digging into the wood. The red dragon vassal, walked off, mumbling to himself. Laharl rolled his eyes. Just great. He was just calming down, and some vassal who barely helped anyway, was procrastinating. Not to mention he was angry with himself for feeling the need to look for an angel, not to mention the throbbing veins in his head was already irritating him enough, but listening to it was driving him off the brink.   
  
  
"Dammit. Where's the Prinny Squad when I need them?"   
  
In a dark flash, and quiet steps, Etna, Laharl's "personal" vassal appeared at his side. She bent her knees, leaning them against the throne's arm, propped her elbow on the arm's chair very close to the Demon Prince's arm, and laid her chin on her palm. She had her usual sultry expression on her face, and her body imitated it.   
  
"Are you alright prince? You're tense. Is little White Feathers worrying you?"   
  
She asked curiously, and mockingly, her finger swirling strands of pink hair. Sometimes she did not understand why he did things he did. His mission was to be a cruel overlord, and he listened to a Celstian, doing kind things. Now, he seemed desperate to find her. Yet, there were loads of loyal vassals he's willing to sacrifice.   
  
"Just shut up and call the Prinny Squad!"  
  
"Yeesh… I was just being concerned, prince."  
  
There was a moment of silence, excluding the sounds of pounding feet, paws, claws or whatever the vassals walked on. Etna detached herself from the throne, and then stood before Laharl. Her left hand clasped onto her left hip, and her right circled around her mouth.  
  
"PRINNY SQUAAAAAD!!!!"   
  
The word "Dood" filled the air and so did dull scratchy sounds as Prinnies made their way to the throne room. Once in the throne room, they lined up in front of the pink-haired demon, which in their eyes stood looking very commanding with both hands on hips. Etna turned her head to face Laharl, mouthing a question.  
Then with a nod she turned to the Prinnies.   
  
"Search the castle! Again! Leave no furniture unturned!"  
  
"Aye Aye Dood!"  
  
They left, whispering to each other, no doubt about what they were being paid to look for someone who didn't even belong in the Netherworld in the first place.   
  
"The money's going to come from 'YOUR' pocket, remember that."  
  
Laharl just snorted, and stood up. Out of habit, he crossed his arms, and he walked a few steps away from his vassal.   
  
"Where ya headin' prince?"   
  
"Somewhere." Simply said.   
  
The vassal knew it was unwise to interrogate anymore. Etna just watched as he went.   
  
"Hey, prince! Maybe she's safe ya know? I mean if something was wrong, surely she'd say something!" 

  
The demon prince stopped but did not turn around. His hand lay on the doorknob.  
'That's right, that love freak would say something…'  
  
Curious of the young demon's next move, the pink-haired demon, sat on the throne's arm, looking on.   
  
Unfortunately, he didn't do much else but leave. Normally.  
  
He stopped in front of the stairs.   
  
'If I were that love freak… where would I be?'   
  
He thought and thought, and while he did so, one of his hands reached over to his chin, and began to rub it. This made him look like he was thinking harder than he really was. A thought, rather, a memory struck him, images flashing in his mind.   
  
_ "Do you have flowers in your brain?"   
_  
_ Laharl asked her for he thought she was being stupid on purpose. She just smiled, and this caused the young demon prince to wretch and twitch.   
  
"Flowers? I love flowers!"   
  
She replied in a happy tone, not catching that he disdained her, and also missing the look of agony and irritation planted on the young prince's face.   
  
"Maybe she does have flowers in her brain!" sneered the young demon prince out loud.  
  
_ "Flo… wers" It jumped from his mouth like a foreign word. His crimson eyes widened.   
  
"Flowers! That's it!"   
  
He ran to the area where the portal was, and stopped to scowl at the laziest vassal in his castle. The green zombie stood beside the Item World portal, sleeping soundly.  
  
"There's not really much flowers here in the Netherworld. Maybe she went back to Celestia. Serves her right. I don't care."   
  
He huffed and turned to go, but something bothered him. He didn't want to go anywhere until he knew Flonne was safe for some reason… There was also an urge stomach, making him want to look at the portal. With hesitation, he turned to look, and the swirling of the portal mesmerized him. It did so for a long moment, which would have seemed like an eternity to a flattered person, like the portal guardian. During the whole time the portal captivated him, he was drooling like an animal. The portal guardian who thought that show was all for her started to flirt, and blow kisses. This of course ended after she saw the change when he'd snapped out of whatever was doing that to him.   
  
  
"Hey, Portal Guardian… Do you know where that love freak went?"   
  
"Do you mean that blonde angel who was sent here as an assassin?"   
  
"_Who _else do you think it is!?"  
  
"Nope. I was on break."  
  
He threw a small fit. He thought of reasons why he was searching for her. When he didn't find anything logical, he found many reasons she shouldn't be in his company. He made a mental list of them. There were loads, from preaching of love, talking about love, saying he could feel, telling him what to do, and how she had tricked him.   
  
That infuriated him the most. An angel, tricking a demon! This lead Etna to have more respect for her but lead him to hold a small grudge against her. He hated that he had to rescue her but he wanted that 'something good.'   
  
"I should have let her die!"   
  
"Let who die?"  
  
The green zombie who was sleeping, now stood at the same place, eyes wide open. His huge eyes with a slice of transparent skin over them were eyeing the little demon.   
  
"None of your business!"   
  
The incident played over and over in his head. The little angel trainee was weak, and could not survive without her pendant, which mysteriously disappeared. Laharl of course did not want anything to do about it. The celestian tempted him by bribing him with 'something good.' In the end she explained that it was feeling the need and wanting to help someone, was the gift she offered to give him. Etna found it very amusing. Laharl did not; it took a lot of killing and money to make him feel any better.  
  
"Ugh… I'm going to pick on some weaklings!"   
  
He turned his attention to the portal guardian. She turned to him, holding up her hand as if restricting the usage of the portal.   
  
"Please select a destination."  
  
"Tutorial Meadow."  
  
The portal guardian stepped aside and Laharl proudly entered the portal. In a bright flash he found himself in the meadow. He rubbed his eyes in irritation and looked around. Strangely, there were no weaklings to pick on, and the meadow had a serene atmosphere about.   
  
Meanwhile, Etna sat in the throne, legs crossed, eyeing her petite hands.   
  
"This throne feels so nice to sit on."  
  
A little smirk tugged at the sides of her face. She laughed feeling flattered. Then she looked around as if something was missing.  
  
"Wait. The prince went off alone… All of his vassals are searching for that celestian and he didn't ask me to come…"   
  
She clenched her fists in worry, her bracelets chiming against each other. She took deep breaths, and once she calmed down, she tried to come up with something logical.  
  
"All vassals searching for that angel, and he didn't ask me to come so maybe he's safe"  
  
The pink haired demon reassured herself, but try as she might, her mind couldn't help but wonder what trouble Laharl would get himself into.   
  
"Not to mention… he can be a one man---- demon army. He's a powerful kid…"  
  
Laharl explored the meadow eyes darting in every direction. Quiet. It was too quiet. He couldn't help but be cautious. He was really used to demons sneaking up on him, armed and ready to take their chances. Not to mention he was even suspicious of his vassal Etna who brought in a whole torture chamber to _ 'wake'_ him before his adventure to become the next overlord began.   
  
  
He continued to look around until he saw the back of someone's head. That someone looked familiar, and he could easily identify who it was. No true resident of the Netherworld would have white-feathered wings.  
  
"Yo, love freak," he stood at her side, looking down at her.  
  
The girl was starring down herself. Her expression was poignant. That was until she heard his voice. A small gasp escaped her. She lifted her head immediately, a small smile crept upon her face, and her eyes glowed.   
  
"Laharl."   
  
The demon prince stepped back in alarm. 'Ah shit….' She was being optimistic and he _hated _optimism. Though, there was something in the way she said it… It made his stomach feel… uneasy, but it wasn't in an unpleasant way.   
  
"So you were here the whole time!?"  
  
"Ehhh…"  
  
"Nevermind!"  
  
"You were worried about me? I'm so happy!"  
  
He growled menacingly. Then he glared at her, hands on hips.   
  
"What in the hell are you doing here anyway!?"   
  
"I was just… thinking."  
  
The demon prince huffed. Then he turned from her. 'Her…? Think? HA!' He snickered. Flonne glanced away.   
  
"I wonder about you, you know?" 

  
"And?" Laharl asked arrogantly, hoping to hear a compliment.   
  
"I also wonder, if I had a sexy body… if you'd _at least _like me.   
  
The young demon prince's eyes widened in horror, and his mouth opened agape. He immediately remembered how he got Etna and Flonne angry and also their protests that they weren't at fault for being _flat._   
  
"Though you seem frightened of them, you seem to "prefer--"  
  
"S-Shut Up!!!" 

  
She stood up, and was almost eye level to the prince. The angel trainee was a bit taller and had to lower her head a bit to look into the young demon's captivating crimson eyes.   
  
"You always say you can't love… Why not try to like?"  
  
"Where are you going with this?"   
  
"It's not hard! It's like how you like money…" The angel closed distance between them. Her nose touched his. He backed away, pupils wandering into the corner.   
  
"I'll try."   
  
'Heh. She'll fall for it, and question me no more!' He thought deviously.' Anything to get off the awkward situation...' Unfortunately, the angel was smarter than she seemed. Laharl, thinking if he said something like what he said, that the "stupid" angel would leave him be.   
  
"Okay, say you like me."  
  
"What the hell do you take me for!?"  
  
"I'm not going back to the castle 'till you say it!"  
  
"HELL NO! Stay here if ya want!"   
  
"Laharl."  
  
That's all it took. There was just that something in her voice. That voice was like a damned trap to him. He looked at her, and this would have finished him off if it weren't for one more plan in his head. He couldn't stand seeing her begging eyes of blue.   
  
"Fine."  
  
"Really Laharl!?"  
  
He gave a nod, a grim look on his face.   
  
"You like me."  
  
Flonne sighed. The demon prince still stood hesitant. What would sway him?   
  
_'Smart move!' _he complimented himself. Flonne of course helped him a bit. She did ask him to say "you like me."   
  
"Laharl!" The celestian looked exasperated, but refused to be angry. She knew her mistake, but decided not to dwell on it. She turned from the demon prince, arms crossed.  
  
"Fine. I like me."  
  
"Hmph." The angel's beautiful lips formed a pout, and she looked annoyed_. 'So stubborn! What do I do?' _This had to be the first time she grew impatient with Laharl. The other time, she was just desperate. She decided if he doesn't say it, she'd stay at the very spot, whether he liked it or not.   
  
"Fine. I'll say it."  
  
Laharl's mental victory party didn't last long. It was Dinero Palace all over again for him!   
  
"I like you…"  
  
He said it in a low voice. Flonne turned, one of her eyebrows rose.   
  
"What… What did you say?"  
  
"I said… I like you!"  
  
He hollered out, and then covered his mouth. His ears twitched in annoyance as her heard the echoes bellowing.   
  
Flonne rushed up to him. Laharl's face grew hot as the angel's delicate hands clamped around his back, and he felt his face being buried into her chest, engulfed by the fine cloth her attire was made of. Then she released him, after he performed gagging noises.   
  
"Laharl…"  
  
"What now!?" he demanded. He was annoyed already, and intoxicated. Intoxicated by the alluring scent of her hair and her garments.   
  
Her lips were curved up in a serene smile. The wind playing wither hair made her look even more serene.   
  
"Nothing. Let's go back."  
  
  
They walked silently.   
  
"Like is a start, Laharl…"  
  
She said the words so softly, and as if they were fragile flower petals, the wind blew them away.   
  
The demon prince only looked at the angel quizzically. The angel glanced back at him, a secretive smile on her lips.   
  
End.   
  
_ Authors Notes: Lil something I came up with. I hope everyone's in character and etc. I haven't quite finished the game… yet. I want to though. I know Laharl's scared of sexy bodies… and I was thinking of it as if he was the younger Yamucha(has big fear of girls) This is like something that might've gone on in between what's been happening. *--* wah Laharl and Flonne are so cute together. But before Flonne came along I really like Laharl/Etna and I still kinda do. So there may be a Etna one like this is I can think of something. Oh another inspiration to this fic was the way Flonne says Laharl's name. There's just that tone in her voice that makes you think ya know? Anyway, hit that comment button! ^-^   
_


End file.
